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 Viv heating!
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n/a
deleted

45 Posts

Posted - 15/01/2010 :  22:39:21  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Hi everyone,
Just wanted to ask a quick question on what relevant heating sources I should use. I have a vx36 wooden vivarium and at the moment ive got two heat mats one under the substrate covering barely any floor and quite a big one on the side wall in the hot end, after thinking about this I dont think its sufficent enough. Would any of you guys recommend getting a heat lamp and a heat mat anyway can anyone really tell me what I should buy and what size and watt thanks alot.

SexyBear77
Fully Grown Corn

United Kingdom
3796 Posts

Posted - 15/01/2010 :  22:45:33  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I have an 11x11, 12 watt inch mat in a vivarium the same size as yours. The heatmat should be on the floor, not the wall (your snake will get no heat), covering up to half of the floor space. Make sure your heat mats are regulated by a thermostat and monitored by digital thermometers.

Lamps arent as good as mats for corns, they prefer belly heat.

Also, why do you think you need more heating?

Edited for- being forgetful

9.11 Cornsnakes
1.1 Hogg island boas
1.0 Dwarf Burmese python

Location: Watford
Website- http://rassnakes.yolasite.com/

Edited by - SexyBear77 on 15/01/2010 22:47:37
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n/a
deleted

45 Posts

Posted - 15/01/2010 :  22:57:34  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
well I got given this corn and not in a very good state he was in a small viv, never cleaned out, never handled still previous sheds in there, im not sure what happened but when I got him no water in his bowl;/ bit scary. Thats all changed hes got everything changed now apart from his heating which he had 2 heats mats one on side one on floor no even covering quarter space, and no thermostat and no thermometers to be seen however ive got thermometers now just need to change his heating bless him:).


Im hoping theres no R.I. as a consequence!


*edited by Kehhlyr - Double posting*

Edited by - Kehhlyr on 16/01/2010 20:03:48
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SexyBear77
Fully Grown Corn

United Kingdom
3796 Posts

Posted - 15/01/2010 :  23:26:50  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Sounds like he is lucky you've got him.

Keep a very close eye on the thermometers if there is no stat, and if the temps get too high turn the mats off immediately, unregulated mats can kill a snake. If you are worried about him getting cold then put the viv near a radiator.

9.11 Cornsnakes
1.1 Hogg island boas
1.0 Dwarf Burmese python

Location: Watford
Website- http://rassnakes.yolasite.com/
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LittleMick
Yearling

United Kingdom
563 Posts

Posted - 16/01/2010 :  02:09:58  Show Profile  Visit LittleMick's Homepage  Click to see LittleMick's MSN Messenger address  Reply with Quote
I really saddens me to hear things like this, glad he'sgot someone to take care of him now.

As SB said, Corn snakes get their heat from warm surfaces (roads, rocks, sand), dependent on region, rather than basking in the sun, thats why lamps are not required.
Defo get a themostat, it would be a pain if you had to keep monitoring the heat yourself and turning the heat mat on and off.


0.4.0 Gerbils (Gemini, Pica, Gerty and Sasha)
0.1.0 Leopard Gecko (Elle)
1.0.0 Carolina Corn Snake(Elijah)
0.0.1 Emperor/Imperial Scorpion (Abbi)
2.0.0 Roborovski Dwarf Hamsters (Micro & Chippy)
Tropical fish - 6 Platys.6 Mollies.9 Glowlight Tetra.4 Pearl Gouramis.4 Apple Snails.1 Tiger Plec.2 Common Bristlenose Plecs and lots of babies.
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Kellog
the nice one

United Kingdom
7308 Posts

Posted - 16/01/2010 :  05:20:05  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I am so glad you got given this corn, and so angry about the condition it was being kept in (apologies if the person you got it from was a friend). Why dont people learn about the pets they have and the care they need - and why dont they care about those pets they have !!!

You have been given the best advice already regarding the need for a heatmat on the base of the viv. One question, you say you have thermometers....what sort are they (digital or the stick on the wall type), where are they and what readings are they giving?

The sooner you get a thermostat the better...for reasons already stated.

xxx


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n/a
deleted

45 Posts

Posted - 16/01/2010 :  11:59:39  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Ok thanks alot you lot for the advice,I have digital thermometers which read hot end: about 80-85c and the cold end about 75c about the room temprature, im glad you said about the radiator his viv is by a really nice and warm radiator, however even with the heat mat setup I dont think the temps are too far off and the temps never go over 90 so it can never get too hot its a bit strange, However im glad hes still always crazy for food and is always eating no matter what. im going to get the 11x11 12 watt heat mat and a proportional thermostat so ti can be a really accurate temp.
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Fernando Pierre
Hatchling

South Africa
224 Posts

Posted - 17/01/2010 :  08:45:43  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Hi all, thanks for all the info here!!! But i would like to know what the actual floor temp should be, or what to set the thermostat to.


1.0.0 Snow Corn- Diablo
1.0.0 Ball Python
1.0.0 Tri-coloured honduran - Feta (R.I.P. my love!!!You will never be forgoten!)

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LittleMick
Yearling

United Kingdom
563 Posts

Posted - 17/01/2010 :  16:05:59  Show Profile  Visit LittleMick's Homepage  Click to see LittleMick's MSN Messenger address  Reply with Quote
At substrate level warm end should 27-30c and the cool end should be around 21-23c, as I learned with some helpful advice from memebers on here DON'T TRUST THE THERMOSTAT DIAL.

I can set my habistat thermostat dial to 30c and the temperature on the thermometer will read 34-36c.

I can set my Komodo Thermostat dial to 32 for my Leopard Gecko and the thermometer says 36-39c.

Another option if you don't trust the temps is buy a liquid themometer and do tests with these as a back up.


0.4.0 Gerbils (Gemini, Pica, Gerty and Sasha)
0.1.0 Leopard Gecko (Elle)
1.0.0 Carolina Corn Snake(Elijah)
0.0.1 Emperor/Imperial Scorpion (Abbi)
2.0.0 Roborovski Dwarf Hamsters (Micro & Chippy)
Tropical fish - 6 Platys.6 Mollies.9 Glowlight Tetra.4 Pearl Gouramis.4 Apple Snails.1 Tiger Plec.2 Common Bristlenose Plecs and lots of babies.

Edited by - LittleMick on 17/01/2010 16:06:36
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n/a
deleted

45 Posts

Posted - 17/01/2010 :  18:12:05  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Im thinking of getting some bar lights for my wooden vx36 vivs just to have better visibility of my vivs, can anyone suggest what ones to get that will also have fittings to fit the light in the viv thanks alot any suggestions will be gladly noted.
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tidus
Snake Mite

Canada
44 Posts

Posted - 17/01/2010 :  18:54:43  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I didnt want to make another topic so im asking my question here cuz its the same topic i need answered. for the heating of the viv. does the heat mat heat up the whole tank. like i know the one half supposed to be hotter but will some of that heat move to the cold side to make the heat there 70 to 80? or will i need something for the cold side to stay at that temp.

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gingerpony
Queen Bee

United Kingdom
10455 Posts

Posted - 17/01/2010 :  22:28:42  Show Profile  Click to see gingerpony's MSN Messenger address  Reply with Quote
ditch the one on the wall it's pointless

if it will cover one half to one third of the viv floor space then use it there instead of the smaller one...

and if you mean strip lights by light bars the flicker is not good for your snake's state of mind!! if it's just to view the snake then ideally use an energy saving bulb that will produce very little heat and no flicker

cornsnakes, ratsnakes, bullsnakes, boas and day geckos

Location:Leeds/York/Selby area
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Fernando Pierre
Hatchling

South Africa
224 Posts

Posted - 28/01/2010 :  14:48:28  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
eh


1.0.0 Snow Corn- Diablo
1.0.0 Ball Python
1.0.0 Tri-coloured honduran - Feta (R.I.P. my love!!!You will never be forgoten!)

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elament
Yearling

United Kingdom
942 Posts

Posted - 28/01/2010 :  18:01:42  Show Profile  Send elament a Yahoo! Message  Reply with Quote
I have heard some heatmats have a microswitch in them that stops the mat from overheating and some people heat their vivs without thermostats but I personly wouldnt. Also if you can afford a pulse stat instead of an on off one they are better at keeping constant thempratures but to be honest since i attached the probe on my thermostat to the probe on the thermometer I havent had any problems with temp fluctuation its usually within .5 of a degree of 28.5. When I got my viv it came with a lamp fitting and a spotlight bulb which i installed thinking I needed them. THe result was the bulb heated up the warm end of the viv to the degree where during the day the mat was hardly on. I have since ditched the spotlight bulb for an energy saver and the result is better heating for Colin as said already on this thread corns prefer to get heat through their bellys



1.1.0 Amel Corns Colin and Xena
1.0.0 Dog Talan
1.1.0 Cats Wotsit and Willow
1.0.0 Ferret Chaos

Location: Lowestoft Suffolk
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gingerpony
Queen Bee

United Kingdom
10455 Posts

Posted - 28/01/2010 :  21:06:24  Show Profile  Click to see gingerpony's MSN Messenger address  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Fernando Pierre

eh


sorry??

cornsnakes, ratsnakes, bullsnakes, boas and day geckos

Location:Leeds/York/Selby area
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